TeamSwift

Date 4-29-09
Two years and still not done
Things have changed over the years.
It's going to have a Honda CX500 engine and drive train in it. Hopefully converted to electric later.
john



I'm building a mini based three wheeler that will have a metro 3 cylinder engine and transmission.
john

why not put a suzuki race bike engine in it:P would be cool...but thats alot of work your doing and its comin along great. hope it works out well in the end for you

Thanks,
I have a Honda cx500 bike frame (with title) that I'm going to use for the back wheel.
I want to get it on its wheels by summer.
Then get it running with a gas motor by the end of summer.
The plan is to make it a hybrid electric.
john

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John a three wheel suzuki powered Mini
"Wow" that's just nutier then a shite house rat
---------------------I love it !!-----------
Wish a I had the scones to do something like that
please keep us posted on how it goes with pictures

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The blue mini is going to be "restored"
It will look like a mini, but it will have a Suzuki engine and trans.
Also it will have a Honda torsionbar front suspension.
You can see the left half sitting on the drivers crosmember.
john

PS. how do I rearrange my photos in my gallery?

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You can't you just have to deleat them and add them
in order that you want ---JV&S

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You can't, but you may want to directly embed them inside this thread.

Info on how to post images:
http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=4

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You got big cahones.

Had a guy call the shop a couple weeks ago looking to get us to weld a motorcycle front end onto a metro, didnt elaborate any more and we had to turn him away (liability reasons) Now i'm curious as hell since the guy is local.

Keep up the good work, your making it a convert?


Scott

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Its not lag, its suspense...
1987 mk1 T3

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Keep up the good work, your making it a convert?

Thanks Scott. I don't know if I'll go to the trouble of a folding top.
No top to start. Maybe a removable top later.
john
EDIT:As you can see later in the thred I put a top on it. It rains too much in Oregon to not have a top.

I learned how to post pictures

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first mock-up in the garage last winter


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lots of air not much metal


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this summer, more metal. still too much air


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still too much air


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I don't know if I want to use a fiberglass front end
john

I want to make this all electric someday.
I think I'll start making it all gas to get it on the road.
Then add an electric motor and some batteries.



Here is a model with two seats all electric.
I think it's too long.



Here is a model with one seat all electric.
Not too long, but crowded with batteries.
I'll go with this.

Now to building.

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mini sub-frame, crosmember, and toe-board.

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Fabricate the firewall

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weld the firewall to the cowl.

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weld on the crosmember


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weld on the toe-board


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fab inner fender-wells

Then I moved it in the garage



Added 1.5" tubing to re-enforcements for the A pillar
Used threaded rod and conduit to pull the post into position



Like this, everything held in position


Then welded in place



Added filler metal and door mounting brackets
I like to weld
But I don't like to get burnt
john

Pictures almost caught up with the work.




bottom cross tube


rocker re-enforcement



steering rack mount



door mount brackets and shock mounts



left rocker



with left rockers and a and b pillar and door step

was playing around...



steel front end mock-up


the wheel will stick out a little



I need to be able to rotate the car

johnsn



I need to be able to weld at different angles.
so I built this adapter to fit my cherry picker.
I'll need some kind of support for the other end too.



drivers brakes and suspension

This weeks work.



repaired L inner sill



inner sill. silver weld through primer



left rocker tube gusset and self etching primer



left rocker tube gusset and weld through primer



inner sill clamped in place



inner sill clamped in place



inner sill welded in place



inner sill welded in place
the self etching primer burned from the welds on the other side. that's ok, it was there to prevent rust



inner sill welded in place. two colors of etching primer



L door surround with part of the quarter panel
silver weld through primer. red rust encapsulating primer



inside B pillar view



inside L inner door step view

Had a productive weekend.



Left inner sill and support tube, red rust encapsulating



conduit cross bracing



sanded and ech primed



turn buckle to pull right tube into place



turn buckle to pull right tube into place



right tube in place. gusset welded in, and cross brace
It was sunny out.


I bought a inner sill/outer rocker assembly. but I took it apart because it was not rust treated between the panels



right inner sill welded in. the camera shutter didn't open all the way



right inner sill welded in. I decided to weld patches in the holes after welding the sill in. Less warping.



welded in the start of the seat mount


silver weld through primer. sunny day



doing some CAD work on the model

found old pictures of a wheel arch mock-up











maybe something like this

Anyone reading this?

thats a lot of pics. looks like it will turn out pretty nice

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1988 Chevrolet Sprint (Forsa clone) 3Tech cam and underdrive pulley, MSD 8mm wireset, shaved head, Weber 32/36 carb, Honda short shifter, KYB Gr2 suspension, Summit tach and gauges, Pilot steering wheel, NEW! Summit Multi-spark CDI
Project Page
1993 Geo Metro Only mods so far are a Honda short shifter, Glowshift tach and a 3a Racing ricer muffler (freebie)

Very cool project john
"Very cool"
I'm watching just don't want to clutter up your post
Have you thought of a color yet ??----------JV&S
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Something bright that will show up
It'll be a small car. So I want it to be seen. It will be multi colored for a long time.
It has a name. Sparky. edit maybe not
john

Ive been working on the frame design.



this will tie into the motorcycle frame.

This weekend I got the Honda motorcycle frame on.
I used pipe and conduit with turn buckles to line everything up.


side view


setup to mount Honda frame. Turnbuckles for adjustment.



Vice grips for a stop to keep the bike frame from sliding down too far.



Honda frame installed the first time.



long Think how long it would be with two seats. Add 24 inches



Plywood floor boards. Will be replaced with steel.



conduit bracing



conduit is cheep and useful



Do I need this hump?



side view with rear suspension and wheel. That wheel is too low!



turn buckle to pull the frame into place.



cut frame to put stiffener between shock mounts

As I was building the cross-brace I ran out of welding gas
Also when I cut out the bracing for the upright, I found out the turn buckles to the windshield posts where not stiff enough and the Honda frame went out of alignment.
So back to the drawing board.

re-enforcing tubes, and conduit cut to hold wheel at full spring compression.


New bracing


Old swivel chair adjuster used as a jack


Turn buckle to pull the frame into place. Used the jack to raise the honda frame. You can see how much I raised the Honda frame.


All done. (I wish). Still need to replace the conduit that goes to the front.
It's on one wheel!

Just one question, You live in 'merika yeas? So what are you doing with a mini AND a morris minor???

That morrie would be worth a mint there, surely?

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Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car.HP is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how much you push the wall out.

They imported Morris Minors and Minis in to the USA.
I like them. Morris Minors don't cost a lot compared to the Mini. Maybe 1/2 to 1/3.
I'm thinking of putting a Suzuki engine and a samurai transmission in the Morris.
john